1. Field of Use
This invention relates generally to apparatus for dispensing and applying adhesive tape to an object.
In particular, it relates to improved guide means for guiding the apparatus along the surface of an object to which masking tape is applied to ensure precise location of the masking tape.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the automotive industry, conventional metal front and rear automobile bumpers are rapidly being replaced by molded plastic resilient "bumpers", called "fascia", which are of complex design and configuration and have functional and decorative surfaces integrally formed therein. A typical fascia for the front end of an automobile body has an elongated outer front surface which extends across the front of the auto body and integrally formed short side surfaces at the opposite ends of the outer front surface which extend rearwardly for a short distance along opposite sides of the auto body. The outer front surface is generally straight but in some designs the center of the outer front surface includes an apex which projects or bulges forwardly slightly. A typical facia for the rear end of an auto body is similarly configured but is reversely disposed on the rear end of the auto body. Furthermore, some fascia include a plurality of parallel decorative grooves which extend along the outer surface and curve around the short side surfaces. If, for aesthetic reasons, the fascia is to be spray-painted but the grooved decoration is not, it is necessary to apply pressure sensitive adhesive masking tape over the grooved decoration prior to painting. It is imperative that the tape be precisely and exactly located to assure an acceptable paint job. Presently, the masking tape is applied manually by a human operator who tears three strips of tape from a roll and applies one strip along the center of the grooved decoration and another overlapping strip at each end surface thereof. This procedure is time-consuming, labor-intensive, unduly costly, wasteful of tape, and sometimes results in misalignment of the side edges of two overlapping strips of tape thereby causing an unsightly paint job.
It is desirable, therefore, to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks by providing improved apparatus for dispensing and applying masking tape to the grooved portion of fascia of the aforedescribed character.
Various types of prior art manually operable devices and tools for dispensing and applying adhesive tape, such as sealing tape for sealing cartons and masking tape for objects to be painted, are known and/or in use. However, insofar as applicants are presently aware, no prior art devices and tools are ideally suited for the purpose above-described.
Prior art type dispenser/applicators (hereinafter called "applicators") typically comprise a support frame on which are mounted a handle to manually pull the applicator along a surface to be taped, means to rotatably support a roll of tape, a pressure roll around which the tape is reeved, and a tape cut-off blade. Some prior art applicators further comprise some sort of guide means on the support frame or elsewhere which engages the object and guides the applicator as it is moved so as to ensure that the tape is applied along a specific path.
The following patents show the state of the art and certain specific prior art features.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,472 shows a manual taping device having a guide roller 34 and which is operable to apply tape to seal a circular cover on a drum-like container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,198 shows a manual tape applicator having an edge guide 28, 32 and which is operable to apply one or two parallel spaced apart strips of tape.
British Patent No. 869,555 shows a tape application tool having a preforming roll 10 and a guide.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,935,758 shows a tape application tool in which a flange or disc 44 on the tape applicator roll 24 itself serves as a guide.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,280,460 shows a device for applying tape over a joint between two insulating batts and which has a single thin beveled shank portion 31 which rides in the joint between the batts to serve as a guide.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,576,622 shows a tape applicator having an edge guide flange 48.
U.S. Pat. No. Re. 31,726 shows an applicator for adhesive labels.